10
sports
• Wednesday, August 21, 2013
THE
WHY
LONG FACE
Sooner Nation needs to adjust its expectations for success this season.
I
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f you solely listened to sports editor fans talk, you would think Oklahoma finished 6-6 last year. Calling for coaches to be fired. Questioning bowl preparations. Flocking to talk radio and message boards to offer their opinions on defenJulia Nelson sive schemes and play calls. julia.nelson@ou.edu Hindsight always is 20/20. But let’s not forget Oklahoma finished 10-3 with a share of the Big 12 title last season. I know the Sooners lost to Kansas State, and many in Sooner Nation like to dismiss last year’s co-Big 12 Champion title, but if the powers that be are recognizing it, you might as well too. I’m not advocating buying rings like Oklahoma State did a few years ago, but there’s no need to be ashamed at having the same conference-best record as the team that beat you earlier in the season. The fact of the matter is this: Yes, there were issues with
Illustration by Blayklee Buchanan/The Daily
last year’s squad, but a 10-3 finish would be celebrated at a lot of programs throughout the country. Our neighbors to the north, OSU, have only had four seasons where they have won at least 10 games in their entire program history. I’m sure they would love to add another one of those to their resume. But Sooner Nation isn’t too keen on OSU, so let’s look at another example: Baylor University. The Bears have had exactly two 10-win seasons in the past 40 years. They have never won a share of the Big 12, let alone an outright title. Count your blessings. Former coach Barry Switzer used to call the Oklahoma football program a monster. He didn’t create the monster, he said, that was former coach Bud Wilkinson’s doing. But he did say it was his job to feed the monster. Now that’s coach Bob Stoops’ job. The monster seems to be hungrier now more than ever. A 10-win season isn’t enough to keep it happy anymore. It’s national championship or failure. Black or white. There is no in between.
WELCOME BACK!
Part of that just comes with the territory. This is Oklahoma after all; the No. 1 ranked program in the ESPN prestige rankings. The team that still holds the record for most consecutive wins. The program home to seven national championships, eight Big 12 titles and five Heisman Trophy winners. I get it. The last national title the Sooners brought home was over 10 years ago. Their bowl record in recent history is less than stellar. It’s starting to look like a team that’s entitled and resting on its laurels. As fans, it’s great to keep the coaches and team accountable. All I’m asking for is a little perspective. It’s almost impossible to get to the national championship every year. Every team has its weakness. It won’t win every game. So the next time the Sooners drop a game, don’t crucify the coaches or players for their mistakes. Look at the bad and learn from it, but remember the good too. It’s all about perspective. Julia Nelson is a journalsim senior.
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